Pride to headline Wellington representative rugby tomorrow

Above: Jackie Patea (with ball in hand) returns to captain the Wellington Pride tomorrow against Waikato, while Accacia Te Iwimate plays halfback.

Local club rugby is winding down this weekend but representative rugby is ramping up.

There are several matches around Wellington and a couple more further afield tomorrow, leading up to the Wellington Lions opening their National Provincial Championship campaign in Napier against Hawke’s Bay at 5.35pm.

The weekend kicks off tonight at Johnsonville’s Alex Moore Park at 7.30pm with the Centurions Development and Wellington Maori Development sides meeting in the opening round of the RDO Cup competition, which also features the Wairarapa Bush B, Horowhenua Kapiti B and Wanganui B sides.

Top billing tomorrow is the return of the Wellington Pride, playing their first home game at Jerry Collins Stadium at noon against Waikato. The Pride’s last act in home territory in 2015 was Georgia Daals racing away on fulltime to score the winning try in the semi-final against Counties Manukau, to propel them into the following week’s final against Auckland.

Daals will line up at fullback tomorrow in a Pride side that features many of the players that took on Auckland in last year’s final, together with some new players eager to make their marks in the Farah Palmer Cup.

This is week three in the competition. The Pride pushed Auckland close in an opening round 27-34 loss and then sat out their bye last Saturday. Several leading players missed the opener against Auckland, but return to meet Waikato. The side is captained by last year’s Player of the Year Jackie Patea at No. 8, with former captain Aimee Sutorius at openside flanker. Brooke Tauaneai will make her debut at prop, while Alicia Print starts at hooker with Alice Soper on the bench after taking a recent knock. In the backs, look out for Amanda Rasch at first five-eigth and hard running Ories teammate Bernadette Robertson at centre, while St Mary’s College captain Monica Tagoai could make her debut off the bench.

Waikato will be strong opposition, despite an inconsistent start to their season that saw them lose to Auckland in pre-season, go down 0-29 to Counties-Manukau in their opener and beat North Harbour 22-12 last week. Hamilton is a hotbed of women’s rugby, and they bring a powerful team, with some particularly dangerous backs featuring players such as Honey Bill Hireme at fullback, Huia Harding on the wing and Stacey Waaka coming off the bench. In last year’s clash between the two sides, Waikato put the afterburners on in the final quarter to pull clear for a 27-16 win.

The Pride match kicks off at noon at Jerry Collins Stadium, with the curtain-raiser being between the Wellington Pride Development and Wellington U18 sides at 10.15am.

The Wellington Samoan Women play Tasman Women at Picton at 2pm.

The second round of the Festival Series gets underway at the Petone Recreation Ground, with both matches kicking off concurrently at 1.00pm. The clashes tomorrow are between two first round winners and between two first round defeated sides.

The Wellington Barbarians opened with a 12-5 win over the Wellington Samoans last Saturday and the Wellington Maori edged the Wellington U19s 20-19.

Tomorrow’s games see the Samoans taking on the U19s and the Maori meeting the Barbarians.

College Rugby

There’s no rest for either of last Sunday’s WelTec Premiership finalists as they move straight into the National Top 4 series. Wellington College’s win means that they host one of the regional semi-finals, and take on Napier Boys’ High School on their #1 ground at 12pm. Runners-up St Pat’s Town have an imposing assignment, travelling to take on Hastings Boys’ High School who come off thumping Hamilton 30-8 in the Super 8 final last Saturday and are regarded as one of, if not the, best sides in the country.

Teams (as received, subject to change):

Wellington Barbarians
1 Ha'amea Ahio, 2 Joe Walding Karaitiana, 3 James Coburn, 4 Anthony Pettett, 5 Augustin Escalona  6 Vern Sosefo, 7 Sam Coventry, 8 Alex Dalzell, 9 Adam Deck, 10 Piri Paraone, 11 Salesi Rayasi, 12 Mike Lealava'a, 13 Matt Goosen, 14 Mike Buckley, 15 Teegan Minkley, 16 Lotu Nuku, 17 Valentine Meachen, 18 Finbarr Kerr Newell, 19 Nick Harrison, 20 Blake Neve, 21 Willie Tufui, 22 Paddy Hughes

Wellington Maori
1. Apanui Heemi, 2. Eugene Smith, 3. Jonathon Fuimaono, 4. Hemi Fermanis, 5. Mykel Herewini, 6. TJ Fermanis, 7. Mateaki Kafatolu, 8. Tuakana Metuarau, 9. Declan Hay, 10. Greg Mullany, 11. Tawera Rameke-Styles12. Taurima Morrison, 13. Jarrod Adams, 14. Andy Ellis, 15. Randall Bishop RESERVES 16. Apirana McMillan-Parata, 17. Marcus Roil, 18. Manasseh wineera, 19. Jamie Norman, 20. Tu Greenland, 21. Kewa McMillan-Parata, 22. Levi Grace, 23. Tom Pere

Wellington Pride
1. Mo Aiatu, 2. Alicia Print, 3. Brooke Tauaneai, 4. Sanita Levave, 5. Joanah Ngan-Woo, 6. Kiri Mei, 7. Aimee Sutorius, 8. Jackie Patea, 9. Accacia Te Iwimate, 10. Amanda Rasch, 11. Ayesha Leti-Liga, 12. Fa’ausa Makisi, 13. Bernadette Robertson, 14. Vaine Marsters, 15. Georgia Daals RESERVES 16. Alice Soper, 17. Angel Uila, 18. Patricia Kalolo-Apolinario, 19. Sauimoana Solia, 20. Davinia Lasini, 21. Lizzie Goulden, 22. Monica Tagoai

Wellington Pride Development
1. Anna Darling, 2. Christina Laiman, 3. Christina Ulalesi, 4. Kaycie Mosley, 5. Rose Petherick, 6. Georgia Broughton, 7. Hope Hakopa, 8. Rosie Stirling, 9. Suzanne Yee, 10. Hinerangi Temara, 11. Chanelle Kohipa-Skipper, 12. Loa Nimarota, 13. Anna Engels, 14. Lekah Leti, 15. Timena Tumaai RESERVES 16. Georgia Scott, 17. Nessa Galuefa, 18. Molly Maligi-Leota, 19. Tina Vaaua-Hamlin, 20. Abbi Weir, 21. Te Aniwa Hurihanganui, 22. Stacie Tutaki-Harper

Wellington U19s
1. Sitiveni Paongo, 2. Penieli Poasa, 3. Junior Fa'amalele Davey/Ivan Fepuleai, 4. Jarimar Schuster, 5. Taisson Lealaisalanoa, 6. Jimmy Hewitt, 7. Paterson Carter, 8. John Tuia, 9. Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, 10. Alex Ropeti, 11. Losi Filipo, 12. Lester Maulolo, 13. Levi Harmon, 14. Maile Koloto, 15. Kerrod Foaese RESERVES 16. Bruce Kauika-Peterson, 17. Daniel Leone, 18. Junior Fa'amalele Davey/Ivan Fepuleai, 19. Eamonn Carr, 20. Regan Sword, 21. Elijah Va'a Brooking , 22. Malachai Unasa-Knox, 12. Willie Schutz, 10. Paul Bickle, 23. Willie Fine, 23. Jordan King